AFTER days of diplomatic wrestling, the United Nations Security
Council approved a resolution calling for an "immediate, durable
and fully respected ceasefire" in the Gaza Strip that would lead to
the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Palestinian
enclave.

The resolution came on the same day Israelis were accused of
killing more than 30 Palestinians after telling them to take
shelter in a house that was later shelled.

The United States had wanted a less authoritative "presidential
statement" from the Security Council and abstained from Thursday
night's UN vote.

Arab and Western diplomats seemed unconvinced that their
handiwork would silence Israeli guns or stop Hamas from firing
rockets into Israel. Yet they expressed hope the resolution might
jolt the warring parties onto a new course which would bring the
bloodshed to an end.

Last night the Israeli Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert, said his
country would keep up its offensive and that it had never agreed
for any outside influence to decide on its right to defend its
citizens.

A Hamas official rejected the UN resolution as not being "in the
best interest of the Palestinian people".

The British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, said the world must
act urgently to ensure measures agreed in the resolution were
enacted "in the next few days". But the US Secretary of State,
Condoleezza Rice, said the US wanted more time for a fully mediated
truce.

"The US thought it important to see the outcomes of the Egyptian
mediation efforts That is why we abstained tonight. But
after a great deal of consideration we decided this resolution
should indeed be allowed to go forward."

The resolution does not mention Hamas, but after the vote Dr
Rice placed blame for the conflict primarily on the militant
group.

The Palestinian Authority's Foreign Minister, Riyad Maliki,
said: "We fear for a delay [of a ceasefire] for a few hours if not
a few days. We're worried [the Israelis] will continue the attack
and expand it."

Yesterday the UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian
Affairs said witnesses had accused Israeli forces of what they
called "one of the gravest incidents since the beginning of
operations".

The UN said that "according to several testimonies, on January 4
Israeli foot soldiers evacuated approximately 110 Palestinians -
half of whom were children - into a single-residence house in
Zeitoun, warning them to stay indoors. Twenty-four hours later
Israeli forces shelled the home repeatedly, killing approximately
30.

"Those who survived and were able walked two kilometres to Salah
Ed Din road before being transported to hospital in civilian
vehicles. Three children, the youngest of whom was five months old,
died upon arrival at the hospital," the UN office said.

The Israeli army said it would investigate the allegations.

The UN's top human rights official has called for an independent
investigation of possible war crimes in Gaza and Israel. The UN
High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, said the harm to
civilians in Israel caused by Hamas rockets was unacceptable. But
she said Israel must abide by international humanitarian law
regardless of Hamas's actions.

The International Committee of the Red Cross and the UN Relief
and Works Agency said they were suspending movement of their staff
in the coastal enclave because of the risk posed by Israeli forces.
Israeli fire had earlier killed two UN workers in a relief convoy
and wounded a Red Cross driver.

Just before a three-hour pause in fighting on Thursday, the UN
relief agency said an Israeli tank fired on one of its food
convoys, killing a Palestinian driver and another UN employee. A UN
spokesman said the agency had co-ordinated the convoy with Israel,
and the vehicle was marked with UN insignia.

An Israeli military spokesman said Israel had not targeted aid
workers. He accused Hamas of targeting humanitarian convoys and
then blaming Israel.

Israel yesterday protested to the UN over the firing of rockets
from Lebanon.

Pressing on with its offensive, Israel staged more than 50 air
strikes in Gaza. Hamas fired 24 rockets into Israel.

1231004287015-smh.com.auhttp://www.smh.com.au/news/world/un-calls-for-truce-after-reports-of-israeli-massacre/2009/01/09/1231004287015.htmlsmh.com.auAgencies2009-01-10UN calls for truce after reports of Israeli massacreGeraldine Baum in New YorkWorldhttp://www.smh.com.au/ffximage/2009/01/09/convoy_attacked_wideweb__470x283,0.jpg

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